Blast cleaning machines



'Jun e ZZ, 1965 w. MQDDIE' 3,190,042

BLAST CLEANING MACHINES Filed Feb. 26, 1963 2 smash-sheet 1 June 22, 1965 w. M. ODDIE 3,190,042

'BLAS'I CLEANING MACHINES Filed Feb. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,190,042 BLAST CLEANKNG MAEHENES Wiiiiam Male (Eddie, Eretton Lodge, Eretton, near Wakefield, England Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 261,165 1 Claim. (Cl. 51-15} The invention concerns blast cleaning machines for sand-blast cleaning and preparing work-pieces of any suitable kind such as foundry castings, forgings and corroded, painted or other articles.

The object of the invention is the provision of a new blast cleaning machine capable of adjustment for dual purpose operation in enclosed as well as partly enclosed position whereby a single machine may effectively serve instead of the two separate machines which have hitherto been necessary. Thus, it will be apparent that considerable economy in cost of apparatus can be achieved.

According to the invention the machine has a powerdriven work-holding rotary table located therein, and a housing defining a chamber being provided with doors, shutters or closure members adapted to be positioned and operated in such a manner that the said table may be either wholly or partially enclosed within the chamber for the machine to operate either intermittently or continuously, as desired.

In order that the invention may be fully and clearly comprehended the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

, FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a blast cleaning machine according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURES 2 and 3 are diagrammatic plan views of the novel door and wall features of the machine housing as illustrated in FIGURE '1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 1 the machine includes a horizontally disposed circular rotary table 1 adapted to be driven in any suitable manner from a convenient source of power.

The table is housed within a chamber formed by a correspondingly shaped vertical wall 2 having a gap or doorway opening in its periphery of predetermined size. For instance the gap may occupy an arc of approximately 120 (see FIGURES 2 and 3).

The aforesaid chamber is furnished with a counterbalanced roof whose forward part 3 is hinged for opening (see broken lines, FIGURE 1) or the lid could be arranged to be slidable.

Pivotally attached to the chamber wall 2 at each side of the aforesaid gap therein are two primary doors 5 and 6, whose upper edges lie adjacent to the underside of the roof and whose lower edges terminate at pro-determined distances from the top surface of the rotary table 1, the spaces between the latter and the said lower edges being filled by dependent flexible curtains or screens 3, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 and composed of rubber or other suitable material.

Also pivoted to the wall 2 of the chamber at each side of the aforesaid gap therein is another door which is termed a secondary door 7 comprising solid panels whose lower edges lie adjacent the rotary table 1 and whose upper edges terminate near the lower edges of the primary sets of doors.

When the primary doors 5 and 6 are closed inwardly for their free sides to engage (see FIGURE 2), the said doors enclose the blast chamber from the fixed portion of the roof thereof down to the surface of the rotary table. The pair of secondary doors '7 remain open.

Thus, with the secondary doors '7 open, there remains clear and visible a segment of the table top 1 to which work-pieces may be continuously introduced for traverse through the interior of the blast chamber, the said work-pieces passing through the double curtains 8 of one set of primary doors 5 and 6 and emerging by way of the double curtains 8 of the other set of doors 5 and 6. In this manner and by these means the machine can be continuously operated wtih easy entry and exit of the work to and from the work table.

When it is desired to use the machine as an enclosed intermittently operating device for larger work-pieces requiring loading by crane, all the doors are opened including the hinged part of the lid. After loading of the table,

one door 6 of each set of primary doors is left open and,

the otherdoor 5 of each set, together with the corresponding secondary doors 7 are moved to positions adapted to cover the gap already referred to (see FIG- URE 3) and, together with the stationary wall 2 of the blast chamber, form a complete wall round the said chamber with the solid panels of the secondary doors '7 covering or masking the curtains 8 of the pertinent primary doors 5. The hinged roof portion 3 is lowered.

Any suitable means such as latches or bolts may be provided for securing any or all of the doors or shutters in predetermined positions.

A suitable impeller is mounted upon the machine and appropriate means provided for supplying abrasive or other suitable material to the blast chamber and for screening, recovery and re-circulation of the said material.

The interior surface of the blast chamber may be rubberlined and vulnerable parts guarded or reinforced.

What I claim is:

A blast cleaning machine adapted for partly, as well as completely, enclosing the work to be cleaned, comprising: a housing including a roof; a vertical wall below said roof which encloses a chamber of circular cross section, said wall having a gap of arc of 120, said gap permitting entry and exit of the work to be cleaned; a circular rotary table within the chamber which serves to support the work; a pair of shortened hinged primary doors whose upper edges lie adjacent the underside of said roof and whose lower edges terminate a predetermined distance above the top surface of said table, said primary doors lying on each side of said gap; flexible curtains lying below said primary doors; secondary doors comprising panels whose lower edges lie adjacent the table and whose upper edges terminate near the lower edges of the primary doors; said primary doors, secondary doors and curtains enclosing the chamber into which the work is placed; said secondary doors being pivotally connected to said vertical wall to permit closing with the primary doors when the secondary doors are placed in closed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

JOHN C. CHRISTIE, Examiner. 

